Quick change system or vibratory tray system

ABSTRACT

A grading, separating and blending apparatus for aggregate materials including an upwardly opening receptacle into which aggregate to be processed may be downwardly displaced. The receptacle is of the oscillatory vibrating type and includes a plurality of vertically spaced screen or similar panels. The openings in the screen panels are progressively smaller in effective plan area with each successive downward screen panel and the receptacle includes one open end and is reciprocal or oscillatable in a manner whereby the aggregate caught by the screen panels will be discharged off the corresponding ends of the panels. These ends of at least some of the screen panels have flap doors operatively associated therewith which may be selectively opened and closed and utilized to direct the discharge from one screen panel down onto the corresponding end of the next lower screen panel rather than allowing the aggregate to be discharged off the end of the upper screen panel. In this manner, selected blends of aggregate may be formed of selected grades of aggregate while other grades of aggregate are allowed to pass off the discharge ends of their respective screen panels.

[ 1 March 6, 1973 QUICK CHANGE SYSTEM OR VIBRATORY TRAY SYSTEM [76] Inventor: Jack Michael, Box 155, Ohlman, 111.

[22] Filed: Dec. 30, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 102,790

[52] US. Cl ..209/258, 209/317 [51] Int. Cl. ..B07b 13/16 [58] Field oi Search ..209/3l6, 315, 317, 255, 256,

[56] References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,908,391 10/1959 Frevert ..209/3l5 1,632,739 6/1927 Martin ..209/258 Primary Examiner-Frank W. Lutter Assistant Examiner-William Cuchlinski, Jr. AttorneyClarence A. O'Brien and Harvey B. Jacobson [57] ABSTRACT A grading, separating and blending apparatus for aggregate materials including an upwardly opening receptacle into which aggregate to be processed may be downwardly displaced. The receptacle is of the oscillatory vibrating type and includes a plurality of vertically spaced screen or similar panels. The openings in the screen panels are progressively smaller in effective plan area with each successive downward screen panel and the receptacle includes one open end and is reciprocal or oscillatable in a manner whereby the aggregate caught by the screen panels will be discharged off the corresponding ends of the panels. These ends of at least some of the screen panels have flap doors operatively associated therewith which may be selectively opened and closed and utilized to direct the discharge from one screen panel down onto the corresponding end of the next lower screen panel rather than allowing the aggregate to be discharged off the end of the upper screen panel. In this manner, selected blends of aggregate may be formed of selected grades of aggregate while other grades of aggregate are allowed to pass off the discharge ends of their respective screen panels.

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42' sai 46" Q o 43' 40/ 34 38% 50 0 Jack Michael U 48 48 INVENTOR. 40 o o Q o o 52 BY QUICK CHANGE SYSTEM OR VIBRATORY TRAY SYSTEM The vibratory tray system of the instant invention has been specifically designed for the purpose of separating or blending various size aggregates. The system of the instant invention may be readily incorporated into existin g flat vibrating screen separators and eliminates the need of removing various screen decks of conventional vibratory graders in order to accomplish aggregate blending operations.

The vibratory tray assembly includes structural components which enable it to be constructed in substantially any feasible size and with any feasible number of grading decks.

The main object of this invention is to provide a vibratory tray or deck assembly including means whereby various selected sizes of aggregate graded thereby may be blended before the aggregate is finally discharged from the assembly.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a vibratory tray assembly in accordance with the preceding objects which may be readily incorporated into the manufacture of vibratory tray systems presently being built.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an assembly in accordance with the preceding objects including simple controls which may be readily manually actuated and also adapted for remote actuation.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a vibratory tray assembly in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a vibratory tray assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention with portions of the various decks thereof being broken away;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the assemblage illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the end of the vibratory tray assembly having the control levers therefor mounted thereon;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view similar to the left hand portion of FIG. 3 but with the various dump gate flaps or doors thereof in open positions; and I FIGS. 7 and 8 are fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional views of the vibratory tray assembly on a reduced scale illustrating the passage of aggregate therethrough as a result of difierent positionings of the dump gate flaps.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generally designates the vibratory tray assembly of the instant invention. The assembly 10 includes an upwardly opening receptacle referred to in general by the reference numeral 12 formed as an integral portion of a horizontally oscillatable supporting frame 14 including opposite side longitudinal members 16 and 18 interconnected by means of longitudinally spaced transverse members 20 and 22.

The receptacle 12 is received between the longitudinal members 16 and 18 intermediate their opposite ends and also between the transverse members 20 and 22. The receptacle 12 includes upstanding opposite side walls 24 and 26 interconnected at one pair of corresponding ends by means of an upstanding end wall 28. The outer surfaces of the lower marginal edge portions of the side walls 24 and 26 are supported from the inner surface portions of the longitudinal members 16 and 18 disposed between the transverse members 20 and 22. In addition, the end wall 28 is supported from the transverse member 22 in any convenient manner.

The receptacle 12 is open at its top and at its bottom and includes vertically spaced screen panels 30, 32 and 34 supported within the receptacle 12. The panels 30, 32 and 34 comprise screen panel portions of upper, intermediate and lower decks 36, 38 and within the receptacle l2 and the deck 36 includes an imperforate panel portion 36' defining the end thereof remote from the end wall 28 while the decks 38 and 40 include imperforate panels 38 and 40', respectively, at their ends remote from the end wall 28. The imperforate panels 36', 38' and 40' include downwardly and outwardly angulated extensions 36", 38" and 40" which project outwardly of the open end of the receptacle l2 remote from the end wall 28 and the extensions define discharge chutes from which aggregate to be handled by the vibratory tray assembly 10 may be discharged.

It will be noted from FIG. 3 of the drawings that the panels 38' and 40' are spaced from the adjacent ends of the panels 32 and 34 and that elongated transversely extending dump gate flaps 44 bridge the space between the panels 32 and 34 and the panels 38' and 40', when the flaps 42 and 44 are in horizontal positions.

The longitudinal edge portions of the flaps 42 and 44 adjacent the panels 38' and 40' are secured to pivot shafts 42' and 44' journaled through the side walls 24 and 26 and it will be further noted that additional pivot shafts 46, 48, 50 and 52 are also journaled through the side walls 24 and 26. The shafts 42' and 44' have actuating levers 42" and 44" mounted on the ends thereof projecting outwardly of the side wall 26 and the shafts 46, 48, 50 and 52 have levers 46', 48', $0 and 52', respectively, mounted on their ends which project outwardly of the side wall 26. Suitable tension springs 48" and 52" are connected between the levers 48' and 52', respectively, and the side wall 26 while additional expansion springs 46' and 50" are connected between the levers 46' and 50', respectively, and the side wall 26. The springs 48" and 52" tend to urge the levers 48' and 50' in counterclockwise directions as viewed in FIG. 5 of the drawings while the springs 46" and $0" tend to rotate the levers 46' and 50' in clockwise directions as viewed in FIG. 5 of the drawings. The shafts 46, 48, 50 and 52 are provided with longitudinally spaced tongues or latches 54 and it will be noted that the latches 54 on the shaft 52 may be utilized to retain the flap 44 in the closed position illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 3 of the drawings, that the tongues 54 may be utilized to maintam the flap 44 in the open position thereof illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings. In addition, the tongues 54 carried by the shaft 48 maybe utilized to maintain the flap 42 in the closed position thereof illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings and the tongues 54 on the shaft 46 may be utilized to maintain the flap 42 in the open position thereof illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings.

In operation, when the flaps 42 and 44 are in the closed positions, an aggregate mix may be dumped into the upper portion of the receptacle 12 onto the screen panel 30 after which the receptacle 12 may be oscillated. The over-size stones will be caught by the panel 30 and will be discharged from the chute 36". The next smaller stones will be caught by the panel 32 and discharged off the chute 38". The smallest stones will be caught by the panel 34 and discharged off the chute 40" and the finest stones and/or dust particles will fall through the panel 34 and be discharged downwardly from the open end of the receptacle 12. However, should the flap 42 be secured in the open position thereof illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings, the stones normally caught by the panel 32 will be discharged downwardly through the opening formed by the movement of the flap 42 to its open position and mixed with the stones being discharged from the chute 40". Also, should both the flaps 42 and 44 be secured in the open position as illustrated in FIG. 8 of the drawings, the stones normally caught by the panels 32 and 34 will fall downwardly through the openings defined by movement of the flaps 42 and 44 to their open positions and eventually blend with the finest stones and/or dust particles which fall through the panel 34.

In order to secure the flap 44 in the open position, the lever 52' is first swing in a clockwise direction to swing the corresponding tongues 54 out of engagement with the free swinging edge portion of the flap 44. Then, the lever 44" may be swung in a counterclockwise direction so as to swing the flap 44 from the solid line position thereof illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings to the phantom line position thereof illustrated in FIG. 3 after the lever 50 has been swung in a counterclockwise direction to swing the corresponding tongues 54 out of the path of movement of the flap 44 to its open position. Thereafter, while the lever 44 is being utilized to retain the flap 44 in its open position, the lever 50' may be released so as to swing the corresponding tongues 50 to the positions thereof illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings whereby the flap 44 will be retained in the open position. Of course, shifting of the flap 42 from its closed position illustrated in FIG. 3 to the open position thereof illustrated in FIG. 6 is accomplished in substantially the samev manner, but through the utilization of the levers 48, 42" and 46.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a vibratory shaker tray assembly including at least three vertically spaced generally horizontal decks with corresponding discharge end portions, said decks including foraminous segments thereof each defining openings therethrough, the openings of each lower segment being smaller than the openings of the segment disposed immediately thereabove, each of the lower decks disposed below the uppermost deck including a dump opening formed in the discharge end portion thereof, a closure flap for each of said openings supported for movement between a closed position closing said opening and disposed in generally planar relation with the upper surface of said one deck and an open out-of-the-way position opening said dump opening to the downward movement of aggregates therethro ugh supported on the forarninous segment of said one deck and moving toward the discharge end thereof, each lower dump opening being at least slightly displaced along the corresponding deck toward the discharge end portion thereof relative to the dump opening of the next higher deck, said flaps being supported along their marginal edge portions adjacent the corresponding discharge end portion for angular displacement from the closed positions thereof to the open positions thereof with the free marginal edge portions of said flaps remote from said discharge end portions swung upwardly toward the deck disposed thereabove, the first mentioned marginal edge portions of said flaps being carried by pivot shafts extending therealong, said shaker tray assembly including opposite side walls between which said decks are supported, the opposite ends ofsaid pivot shafts being journaled from the corresponding side walls, one pair of corresponding end portions of said pivot shafts projecting through the corresponding side wall and provided with handle means for angularly displacing said pivot shafts, one pair of latch element shafts being pro vided for each of said flaps, each pair of latch element shafts being journaled between and from said side walls and extending along the free edge portion of the corresponding flap when the latter is in its open position and its closed position, each latch shaft having a plurality of axially spaced rotary latches mounted thereon for releasable engagement with the free edge portion of the corresponding closure flap to retain the flap in position against angular displacement to swing its free edge portion away from the associated latch element shaft, the set of ends of said latch element shafts corresponding to said one set of corresponding ends of said pivot shafts projecting through the corresponding side wall of said shaker tray assembly and having handle means operatively associated therewith operable from the exterior of the side wall to selectively angularly displace the latch element shafts between latching and unlatching positions, and spring means operatively connected between the handle means of said latch element shafts and the corresponding side wall of said tray assembly yieldingly biasing said latch element shafts to positions with the rotary latches thereof in the latching positions.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said forarninous segments comprise screen sections and all of said dump openings are spaced at least slightly longitudinally of said decks from the terminal ends of said discharge end portions.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the portions of said decks disposed between said dump openings and terminal ends are imperforate.

* i l t 4! 

1. In combination, a vibratory shaker traY assembly including at least three vertically spaced generally horizontal decks with corresponding discharge end portions, said decks including foraminous segments thereof each defining openings therethrough, the openings of each lower segment being smaller than the openings of the segment disposed immediately thereabove, each of the lower decks disposed below the uppermost deck including a dump opening formed in the discharge end portion thereof, a closure flap for each of said openings supported for movement between a closed position closing said opening and disposed in generally planar relation with the upper surface of said one deck and an open out-of-the-way position opening said dump opening to the downward movement of aggregates therethrough supported on the foraminous segment of said one deck and moving toward the discharge end thereof, each lower dump opening being at least slightly displaced along the corresponding deck toward the discharge end portion thereof relative to the dump opening of the next higher deck, said flaps being supported along their marginal edge portions adjacent the corresponding discharge end portion for angular displacement from the closed positions thereof to the open positions thereof with the free marginal edge portions of said flaps remote from said discharge end portions swung upwardly toward the deck disposed thereabove, the first mentioned marginal edge portions of said flaps being carried by pivot shafts extending therealong, said shaker tray assembly including opposite side walls between which said decks are supported, the opposite ends of said pivot shafts being journaled from the corresponding side walls, one pair of corresponding end portions of said pivot shafts projecting through the corresponding side wall and provided with handle means for angularly displacing said pivot shafts, one pair of latch element shafts being provided for each of said flaps, each pair of latch element shafts being journaled between and from said side walls and extending along the free edge portion of the corresponding flap when the latter is in its open position and its closed position, each latch shaft having a plurality of axially spaced rotary latches mounted thereon for releasable engagement with the free edge portion of the corresponding closure flap to retain the flap in position against angular displacement to swing its free edge portion away from the associated latch element shaft, the set of ends of said latch element shafts corresponding to said one set of corresponding ends of said pivot shafts projecting through the corresponding side wall of said shaker tray assembly and having handle means operatively associated therewith operable from the exterior of the side wall to selectively angularly displace the latch element shafts between latching and unlatching positions, and spring means operatively connected between the handle means of said latch element shafts and the corresponding side wall of said tray assembly yieldingly biasing said latch element shafts to positions with the rotary latches thereof in the latching positions.
 1. In combination, a vibratory shaker traY assembly including at least three vertically spaced generally horizontal decks with corresponding discharge end portions, said decks including foraminous segments thereof each defining openings therethrough, the openings of each lower segment being smaller than the openings of the segment disposed immediately thereabove, each of the lower decks disposed below the uppermost deck including a dump opening formed in the discharge end portion thereof, a closure flap for each of said openings supported for movement between a closed position closing said opening and disposed in generally planar relation with the upper surface of said one deck and an open out-of-the-way position opening said dump opening to the downward movement of aggregates therethrough supported on the foraminous segment of said one deck and moving toward the discharge end thereof, each lower dump opening being at least slightly displaced along the corresponding deck toward the discharge end portion thereof relative to the dump opening of the next higher deck, said flaps being supported along their marginal edge portions adjacent the corresponding discharge end portion for angular displacement from the closed positions thereof to the open positions thereof with the free marginal edge portions of said flaps remote from said discharge end portions swung upwardly toward the deck disposed thereabove, the first mentioned marginal edge portions of said flaps being carried by pivot shafts extending therealong, said shaker tray assembly including opposite side walls between which said decks are supported, the opposite ends of said pivot shafts being journaled from the corresponding side walls, one pair of corresponding end portions of said pivot shafts projecting through the corresponding side wall and provided with handle means for angularly displacing said pivot shafts, one pair of latch element shafts being provided for each of said flaps, each pair of latch element shafts being journaled between and from said side walls and extending along the free edge portion of the corresponding flap when the latter is in its open position and its closed position, each latch shaft having a plurality of axially spaced rotary latches mounted thereon for releasable engagement with the free edge portion of the corresponding closure flap to retain the flap in position against angular displacement to swing its free edge portion away from the associated latch element shaft, the set of ends of said latch element shafts corresponding to said one set of corresponding ends of said pivot shafts projecting through the corresponding side wall of said shaker tray assembly and having handle means operatively associated therewith operable from the exterior of the side wall to selectively angularly displace the latch element shafts between latching and unlatching positions, and spring means operatively connected between the handle means of said latch element shafts and the corresponding side wall of said tray assembly yieldingly biasing said latch element shafts to positions with the rotary latches thereof in the latching positions.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said foraminous segments comprise screen sections and all of said dump openings are spaced at least slightly longitudinally of said decks from the terminal ends of said discharge end portions. 